Telford end Blyth Spartans' hopes of heroics

Posted by The Journal on Oct 28, 09 02:14 PM in Sport

AFC Telford 4, Blyth Spartans 0

Blyth Spartans won national acclaim last season for their FA Cup heroics but they crashed out last night when AFC Telford United romped to a 4-0 victory. Spartans held their own during the first half and were unlucky to go in a goal behind, but then it was all downhill.

Blyth had a let-off in the opening minutes when a centre by Sean Newton was headed straight at goalkeeper Mark Bell by captain Gavin Cowan who should have done much better.

Spartans quickly hit back and a Gareth Williams free kick was powerfully headed goalwards by John Alexander but Ryan Young made a splendid save.

At the other end Phil Trainer attempted a clever back heel only to see the ball end up in the side netting and there was a further disappointment for Telford in the 13th minute when Chris Nurse suffered a hamstring injury and was replaced by Liam Blakeman.

For a time the visitors pressed the home side back in their own half but in a breakaway Danny Carey-Bertram fired straight at Bell from a good position.

John Brackstone tested keeper Young from long-range and when Josh Gillies beat two defenders, Young was lucky to gather the ball at the second attempt.

Telford scored midway through the opening half. Tom Field picked out sub Blakeman on the edge of the penalty area and his drive went past two defenders and struck Bell for a lucky own goal.

Ian Graham was thwarted by Young who then saw a tremendous 35-yard free kick by Williams, flash over the crossbar. On half-time, Brackstone again set up Graham but he pulled his shot wide of the target.

Blyth were quickly out of the blocks in the second half but Young was again dominant as he turned a Williams free kick around the post.

Gillies and Steve Turnbull combined and the latter produced a clinical finish which was cleared off the line by Jon Adams.

Spartans' luck was not in and it was at the other end the goals arrived. In the 62nd minute a quickly-taken free-kick by Blakeman resulted in Phil Trainer slotting the ball past before Andrew Brown hammered home a volley into the net to complete a miserable night for Spartans.

AFC TELFORD: Young, Adams, Newton, Cowan, Killock, Hurren, Nurse, Field, Carey-Bertram, Brown, Trainer. Subs (not used): Thompson, Blakeman, Whitehead, Edwards, Torpey.

Goals: Blakeman 24, Trainer 62, Brown 85, 88.

BLYTH SPARTANS: Bell, Harrison, Brackstone, Tait, Williams, Craddock, McCabe, Turnbull, Alexander, Graham, Gillies. Subs (not used): Todd, Doninger, Boyle, Webster, Norton.

Attendance: 1,398

Referee: S Ledger (England).

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